Michael Poliakoff

A leading authority on classical games here provides a comprehensive study of the practice of combat sports in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and the Near East. Describing and analyzing the sports of boxing, wrestling, stick-fighting, and pankration, Michael B. Poliakoff discusses such topics as the function of competition and violent games in ancient society; on the social background of the participants, showing the broad spectrum of Greek athletic personnel; on the significance of the appearance of combat sport in myth and literature; and on the alleged cultic functions of the ancient combat sports. The book is copiously illustrated with photographs of numerous objects rarely or never before published.

'The book provides an excellent view of ancient societies through their principal combat sports-boxing, wrestling, and the pankration. This book is not just for students of ancient sport and culture but for anyone interested in the nature of competition and violence in sport.'-J. Thomas Jable, Sociology of Sport Journal

'Provocative but not pedantic, Poliakoff's work is essential reading for anyone interested in sport and antiquity.'-Donald G. Kyle, American Historical Review

'Sports historians-no matter what their field of expertise-will want to read Combat Sports in the Ancient World and to recommend it to their students as a fine introduction to an awesomely complex topic.'-Allen Guttmann, Journal of Sport History

'A well-researched contribution to the sport history literature. It is well documented and makes for enjoyable reading.'-Kendall Blanchard, American Anthropologist

'A significant advance toward understanding ancient sport, and Greek civilization generally, from a unique and valuable perspective.'-Thomas F. Scanlon, Classical World

Poliakoff gives a thorough overview of the three combat sports of the ancient Olympics (wrestling, boxing, & pankration), their rules, the training involved, and the attitudes of the Ancients towards those sports. He speaks briefly of Egyptian stick fighting, but the dearth of ancient literature on the subject means he can treat it only superficially.

In addition to describing the sports, Poliakoff gives biographies of some of the more famous practitioners and voices some opinions about the usefulness of combat sports to the body politic, especially in the field of athletics.

In his exposition, Poliakoff sometimes dismisses as fantastical legend some feats which are achievable by well trained athletes. For example, he expresses grave doubts about the tradition that the wrestler Milo of Kroton could lift and carry a bull. In the mid-20th century there was a carnival performer, H.E. Mann, who lifted and carried a bull as a part of his act. Mann's act was inspired by Milo. Poliakoff neglects to mention that Milo is credited as the father of 'progressive resistance' weight training. Milo began with a calf and lifted it daily until it became full grown. H.E. Mann trained for his carnival act exactly as Milo did, beginning with a calf and lifting it daily until it became full grown. One of the USA's earliests vendors of weight training equipment was the Milo Barbell Company.

Poliakoff takes a dim view of the savagery involved in ancient combat sports and sees no correlation between the combat sports and actual military service. Although Poliakoff seeks to show that excellent combat athletes make poor soldiers, he does cite numerous counter examples to his position. It seems ancient Greek history is full of individuals who distinguished themselves both in the games and on the battlefield.

Notwithstanding Poliakoff's anti-combat-sports agenda, the book is an informative and enjoyable reading experience.-George R. Dekle

Contents

List of illustarations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
I General aspects of the ancient combat sports
II Wrestling
III Pankration
IV Stick fighting
V Boxing
VI The nature and purpose of combat sport
VII The participants in Greek combat sport
VIII Metaphor, myth, and reality
Appendix-Combat sport, funeral cult, and human sacrifice
List of appreciations
Notes
Bibliography
Index… (más)